The Southern Fishing Report” by Ken Sturdivant 9-23

By Ken Sturdivant

106 Hickory Ridge

770 889 2654

Cumming, Georgia 30040

www.havefunfishing.com

September 23, 2011

LAKE LANIER IS DOWN 8.31 FEET, THE CREEKS ARE SLIGHTLY STAINED AND THE MAIN LAKE IS CLEAR AND 78 DEGREES

This Lake Lanier Bass report is from Jim Mathley, www.jimboonlanier.com 770 542-7764

The lake continues to drop and the fishing continues to get better as the water cools. The upper lake, in both the Chestatee and the Chattahoochee, the turnover process is beginning. The water in these areas has a brackish look to it and bubbles are appearing, both of which are sure signs the turnover is beginning. There remain several different patterns working to catch spotted bass all around the lake, including in the turning water. "Junk Fishing" which is throwing a number of different baits in a number of different types of areas, can actually be a good pattern. The spotted bass are now schooling heavily around creek mouths as well as over the river channels throughout the lake. Topwater baits, swimbaits, flukes, and a Fish Head Spin will catch these schooling fish. We have also been able to draw them up with topwater baits and swimbaits when the fish are active. Focus on points in the mouths of creeks and work your baits over brush or rocky areas. A jerkbait fished on rocky secondary points is also a good pattern and is producing good fish on some days. Experiment with dive depth on these lures until you find the one that works best. There are also some fish around docks and back in cuts close to the main lake, particularly in rocky areas. These fish can be taken on a jig or worm, but the quality is not as good in most cases. There are also spots and largemouth bass both appearing in blown down trees at times as well. Work the cover with a jig or worm for best results. See our web site for Rods, Reels and Lures for Bass DVD on sale.

This Lake Lanier Striper report is from Captain Ken West and Captain Mike Maddalena of Big Fish On! Guide Service, 404 561 2564. www.bigfishonguide.com

Striper fishing is fair. The lake has started to "turn over" and the fish have moved from the deep water pattern to points and humps. Stick to points and humps 30 to 50 feet deep. The stripers are glued to the bottom and will bite but you have to get down to them. The Umbrella rig is a great tool to get deep and cover a lot of water. The only drawback is the getting the rig hung up in the trees and brush. We always start out with two umbrella rigs, one with white 4 inch shad bodies and one with chartreuse shad bodies. One day they only want white trailers and the next day they only want chartreuse trailers even though the place, wind, temperature and cloud cover was the same. Your other option is to use herring on down rods after you have marked the fish with your Lowrance structure scan. It is also time to put out a couple of free lines. Weight one free line with a split shot and let the other swim free. Keep a Red Fin and a bucktail tied on for those surfacing fish. The top water bite should start to pick up over the next week or two. The south end of the lake has been best for and we get reports of smaller fish from the mouth of the Chestatee River to Gainesville Creek The mouth of Young Deer Creek, Bald Ridge Creek and Shoal Creek continue to be good places to start.

September 23, 2011

WEST POINT LAKE IS DOWN 9.62 FEET, STAINED & 80 DEGREES BY CHRIS BELL

Bass fishing is good. Fish are beginning to concentrate themselves near shallow cover lake wide. A few more cool nights and the lake should really turn on. Continue to cover water with shallow crankbaits until you approach cover such as a lay down or brush pile. The best crank bait has been Bandit 200 series in a shad pattern of any type. The water is really clear right now so matching the hatch is crucial right now. Once you approach cover switch to a shaky head rigged with a Zoom green pumpkin finesse worm. This little worm can truly catch big fish that have been pressured. Over the next few weeks look to see spinnerbaits and topwater come into play with cooler temperatures as these are two patterns that you can begin experimenting with now as the patterns begin to transition into fall.

Hybrid and striper fishing is good. Fish are schooling on humps first thing in the morning. Use ¼ ounce Rat L Traps in chrome black back and popping corks with fly. Once the sun is up down line live shad on these same areas on the schools of fish.

Crappie fishing has been poor. Crappie have not pulled up yet but should make a move over the coming weeks. For now continue to focus on bridge columns with live bait and standing timber.

September 23, 2011

LAKE ALLATOONA IS DOWN 8.3 FEET, 77 DEGREES AND CLEAR

Spotted bass fishing is good and getting better with some top water action. Fishing main lake points using a Sammy has been producing. Follow up with a Rapala Shad Rap # 5 working with a fast erratic retrieve. These fish are also still in the middle of the lake chasing small Thread Fin Shad. Cruise the middle lake area with a Zara Spook Jr. or Pop R top water lure tied on and when you see the fish feeding on top pull up and follow the school. Start casting the lure to the outside of the school and work your way into the middle with a fast erratic retrieve. The best places to find these fish are from Owl Creek down to Clear Creek and from The Pass down to Tanyard Creek. The best time to catch these fish is from mid morning to mid afternoon. These fish are also hitting top water on main lake points.

See our web site for the Rods, Reels and Lures for Bass DVD on sale.

This Lake Allatoona striper and hybrid fishing guides report has been brought to you exclusively by Robert Eidson of First Bite Guide Service, 770 827 6282. www.firstbiteguideservice.com Lake Allatoona, Georgia email: eidson6260@comcast.net

Line side fishing is good. The fish are on the move, but will eat when you find them. Live bait is really starting to work well. The spoon bite is the best bite going right now. The south end of the lake is still the place to be anywhere from clear Creek to the Allatoona Creek arm. Troll these areas with your Mack Farr umbrella rigs. As soon as you find one of these mega schools, drop live bait down to them or use a 1 ounce spoon to the fish. The top water bite is really starting to get good. Look for these fish on top early morning and late afternoon. Most of the top water action we have seen this week has been in eye site of the dam.

September 23, 2011

LAKE HARTWELL IS DOWN 7.9 FEET, CLEAR & 78 DEGREES

Bass fishing is fair and it’s crank bait and spinner bait days this weekend. There are spotted bass feeding on main lake structure where you can catch a lot of fish cranking down with a deep diving crank baits and all white spinner baits. To slow down, go to the Carolina rig or a shaky head or drop shot on the rocky points with brush piles. Fish the main lake reef markers around the dam or vertical structure like bridge pilings can all be good. Try picking off a few fish with your crank bait. Then slow down and pick apart the structure with your finesse worm rigs once you locate some fish. Watermelon and red bug will work on a light Texas rig on the deeper docks. Keep a small top water bait ready as well as a Fat Albert single tail pearl grub on a 1/8 ounce lead head in cast the fish pop up and will not take the top water lure.

September 23, 2011

LAKE RUSSELL IS DOWN 3.4 FEET, CLEAR & 77 DEGREES

Bass fishing is fair and now is a good time to start using the early fall baits. Start the mornings off with a white buzz bait up the rivers on long run out points. Try to locate the widest and biggest one you can find. Make long casts to the shallow water and work the bait all the way back looking for any bass that might follow it. Be sure to work the points using all angles and this will include throwing to deeper water and working it back to shallow water. On the same point, switch to a four inch Husky jerk bait in either a blue and chrome or green and chrome and work the same areas that you just worked with the buzz bait. By mid day the Carolina rig with a Zoom finesse worm in green pumpkin seems to be working best when thrown to the sides of sharp points near deep water. Down size your weight as much as possible and use no more than 12 pound Sufix Elite line. The late afternoon is the best time for throwing those crankbaits. Start after mid afternoon with the #5 or #7 Shad Rap in either fire tiger or natural. Try both colors fish the points and sides of point’s lake wide. See our web site for Rods, Reels and Lures for Bass DVD on sale.

September 23, 2011

CLARK HILL IS DOWN 8.4 FEET, STAINED & 77 DEGREES

Bass fishing is fair but the lake is still dropping. If by some chance the water get a little stained due to a sudden rain shower, go to the bleeding Tennessee shad and the natural perch colors. Work the first part of the retrieve just like you would a jerk bait and crank it like you would a Shad Rap on the second half. Also try this, just jerk bait the first half of the retrieve and crank the second half of the retrieve. This will let you know which retrieve the bass are looking for. Work this bait around the major points and especially around the smaller isolated grass mats near the points. Zoom pearl Super Flukes on a Mustad 3/0 worm hook will also work on the schooling fish that may not hit a Sammy or a Pop R. If all else fails, get on any main lake point and sit the boat in 25 feet of water and cast the Carolina rig with a Zoom finesse worm any color of green.

September 23, 2011

LAKE SEMINOLE IS DOWN ONE FOOT, CLEAR AND 85 DEGREES

Bass fishing is good and it is time for the topwater baits around grass beds for some exciting action. Buzz baits, Spooks and Pop R’s all work well. Be sure to fish any grassy points or indentations. Once the sun rises the fishing is rather slow. Try flipping matted hydrilla with a Zoom Ol’ Monster worm or fishing ledges in the rivers and Spring Creek with a carolina rig. Most of the lake is clear, so your plastics need to be either watermelon seed or green pumpkin or some other clear water color. Crankbaits like the Rapala DT10 and DT14 will work. When there is no current , use a Carolina rig and Texas rig on river ledges in about 1 2 to 25 feet. Green pumpkin and watermelon seed plastics are tough to beat. If the ledge has standing timber, really work the timber thoroughly as the fish will suspend in the trees. At this time of year, use of your electronics to find the fish is of paramount importance if you are going to fish structure. If you find the shad, you will find the bass. In the early mornings, shallow grass early in areas with deep water access can produce quality fish as well.

September 23, 2011

LAKE GEORGE IS DOWN 2.14 FEET, 79 DEGREES & CLEAR

Bass fishing is slow with the best times being morning and afternoon and whenever the water is moving. The top water shallow bite has been best during the morning and evening and has been lasting all day on overcast days. Fish a Stanford Lures Turbo shad in Bone Crusher around main river grass flats and a Spro Bonzeye frog in natural red back in the pads up the river. The ledge bite has been pretty good lately from the causeway to Cowikee Creek. When the corps is moving water fish a Spro Little John DD in citrus shad on main river ledges that top out about 12 to 14 feet. If the fish seem finicky to the Little John switch up to a silent Stanford Lures Deep Big Cedar in Summer Shad, this cedar bait offers a different action that the pressured fish haven’t seen. If the water is not moving, fish a Carolina rigged Big Bite Baits Kriet Tail worm in Plum Apple around any deep brush or rocks on the ledges. See our web site for Rods, Reels and Lures for Bass DVD on sale.

September 23, 2011

LAKE WEISS IS DOWN .82 FEET, LIGHT STAIN & 73 DEGREES BY COLLINS GUIDE SERVICE

Now available for sale 50 of my proven GPS waypoints for off shore structure for Bass and Crappie fishing on Weiss Lake, Alabama. E mail ken@havefunfishing.com

Bass fishing is good and a lot of bass have moved shallow in the coves and bays as the water cools and the shad migrate shallow. Shallow running crank baits, spinner baits and Rat L Traps in shad patterns are working well. Look for the bite to really get hot when the water gets below 70 degrees.

Striper fishing is poor and they are in fair numbers in Little River and the upper Chattooga River. Little Spring creek is also producing some fish. The canal and the powerhouse lake are also producing some stripers. Live shad is the key to catching these fish, flat lines and down lines fished 8 to 10 feet deep and trolled slowly are producing some fair striper fishing.

Crappie fishing is good and the crappie are mainly under the docks that have at least 8 feet of water under them, look for larger, older docks that create a lot of shade. Use a 1/24 ounce jiffy jig in colors JJ13 and JJ17. There are some fish out deep on channel ledges and more will be moving to them as the water level and the water temperature drops over the next few weeks.

September 23, 2011

LAKE OCONEE IS DOWN 3 FEET, 78 DEGREES AND A LIGHT STAIN UP RIVER

Bass fishing is fair. The fish are starting to move to the banks. They are also starting to school in the mouths of the major creeks. The best pattern is still under the docks with a shakey head worm, the Zoom watermelon seed or a green pumpkin worm have been the best colors. The schooling bite looks like it is starting up as the water temp has gone down. We located some large schools on the south end of the lake this past week. You can work these schools with a medium running crank bait. The Rapala DT10 and the Normans Deep Little N in a shad pattern have been the best producers. As the water cools down the Buzz bait bite should start up any day as the fish move to the back of the creeks. See our web site for Rods, Reels and Lures for Bass DVD on sale.

Lake Oconee Line Side report brought to you by Mark Smith at Reel Time Guide Service. 404-803-0741. wwwreeltimeguideservice.com

Line side fishing is fair. As the water cools down start looking for the fish to show up in the river bend area of the lake. Use your Lowrance to locate the schools of bait and look under them for the schools of stripers. When you see the striper under the bait drop a live shad down to them and hang on. This pattern will hold into December when the birds start showing up. Over the past week we located some schools down at the mouth of Richland Creek and the main lake. These were large schools and they were on the move. These fish were in 10 to 20 feet of water. One way to locate these schools is to pull a umbrella rig. You can mark the school with your Lowrance and turn around and go back with your live baits. Sugar Creek has the Capt. Mac umbrella rigs in stock along with Okuma line counter reels and Okuma striper rods. They also have a complete line of Zoom baits on hand. If you like to see the Lowrance HDS units in action call and we can show you how it works. You can have an on the water demonstration. 404-803-0741. See our web site for Rods, Reels and Lures for Bass DVD on sale.

Crappie fishing is fair. Some fish are showing up in brush piles from 5 to 10 ft. Look for the fish to show up on your Lowrance and drop you live shiners down the depth they are holding at. Over the past week I have found the fish holding in the timber at 5 to 15 feet deep. If you have the Lowrance structure scan you can see the fish in the trees. It is a very helpful aid in finding the schools.

September 23, 2011

LAKE SINCLAIR IS DOWN 1.3 FEET, 78 DEGREES, MOSTLY STAINED.

Bass fishing is fair and the fish are beginning feed early morning. Shallow fishing and deep fishing later have both gotten better. More bass are moving to near the back of coves and creeks. Several baits are working some on these shallow fish. But on any given morning, only one or two of them may produce. Some good choices are white ½ ounce buzz bait, weightless Zoom Trick worm, ¼ ounce Rat L Trap in a shad pattern, Pop R, Super Spook Jr., and shallow crank baits. Fish fast and hit any kind of cover. After the sun rises get on the shady banks. Dock fishing with lightweight plastics is also working better in the morning. More fish re also showing up on points, humps and flats. Concentrate on or near the drop offs on the side of these structures. Deep crank baits or Carolina rigs are the ticket. Normally cranking is best during power generation and the worm in slack water. Depths are varying daily from 10 to 18 feet. Try the Poe’s 300, Norman DD22 and Yo Zuri Crank N’ Dive in chartreuse and shad patterns. For the Carolina rig, use a ½ ounce weight during slack water and a ¾ or 1 ounce weight in current. Try a 3 foot leader of 12 pound line with a 1/0 or 2/0 Gamakatsu wide gap hook. Use a Zoom Trick worm in green pumpkin, red bug, or June bug. See our web site for Rods, Reels and Lures for Bass DVD on sale.

September 23, 2011

JACKSON LAKE IS DOWN 4.2 FEET, STAINED & 79 DEGREES

Bass fishing is slow and the fish are only feeding on the major feeding periods all day. Be sure to check out the Fish and Game Forecaster for these peak times on our web site. Fish remain deep on points and humps and use the Carolina rigs a Zoom u tail in green pumpkin and red shad. As the weather cools the fish will start to move up and then go to the top water baits on deeper main lake seawalls like the Pop R, the Sammy or the Zara Spooks. Bait will begin to move toward the creeks at the very end of the month. It will be hard to beat a 1/4 ounce all spinnerbait when that move begins. See our web site for Rods, Reels and Lures for Bass DVD on sale.

Our DVD, Rods, Reels and Lures for Bass is now on sale for only $ 25.00 including shipping. Send a check payable to Southern Fishing Schools Inc. to: Southern Fishing Schools Inc to 106 Hickory Ridge Drive, Cumming Georgia. Please allow 14 days for delivery.

Ken Sturdivant, Lowrance Professional Fishing Staff will be conducting FREE! Sonar Seminars at Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World in Lawrenceville Georgia. The BASICS OF SONAR seminars are held on the last Saturday of each month at 2pm. All seminars are subject to change without notice.

If you would like to have a free set up sheet for your sonar, send me an e mail to kensturdivant@earthlink.net and ask for the Sonar Setup Quick List.

We have these BASS FISHING books for sale: BASS FISHING LAKE LANIER, BASS FISHING LAKE ALLATOONA, BASS FISHING WEST POINT LAKE, BASS FISHING LAKE RUSSELL, BASS FISHING WEST POINT LAKE and BASS FISHING LAKE HARTWELL. These books are written exclusively for Bass and each book covers every week of the year. Each book $ 39.00. If you would like a sample of any book, send us an e mail to kensturdivant@earthlink.net. Our mailing address is: Southern Fishing Schools Inc. 106 Hickory Ridge, Cumming Georgia 30040.

Copyright 2011, Southern Fishing Schools Inc. calls us to set up a school, Maps and Depth Finders or Rods, Reels and Lures for Bass. www.havefunfishing.com 770 889 2654